Spenser and me

The writer of the Spenser novels, Robert B. Parker, spoke at the Simmons Writers Conference back in the 80s.

Only later did I become a mystery writer myself.

What I loved about the Spenser novels, besides the story and characters, was how he portrayed Boston.

One Sunday, I had walked my Japanese chins, Albert and Amadeus around the pond across from my condo, came home, picked up the current Spenser novel. The action was at the same pond.

Then the TV series staring Robert Urich and Avery Brooks appeared. 

Living in Boston, more than once I came across them filming and my drive home from work passed Urich's home. No, I wasn't stalking.

Urich also participated in the community and was kind to fans, although I never met him or even tried to.

The only problem I ever had watching, was when Spenser could find a three or four car-long parking place on Comm. Ave where parking places are a rarity matching 72 caret diamonds. Also, my image of Spenser from the novels was one ugly dude. Urich wasn't. My assistant ran into Urich's brother at the Cape and told him, "My boss would love to leave her shoes under your brother's bed."

I also caught a cab once from Logan Airport after a business trip to be told by the cabbie, his last passenger was Brooks.

Over the years, I read almost every thing Parker wrote. Sometimes, later in his career, I thought he was just putting words on paper to meet his publisher's deadline. Now I bonk Susan, Pearl the Wonder Dog greeted me over and over. When I read he died at his typewriter (what could be better for a writer?), I mourned: no more books, good to not so good for the genre.

At the Geneva English Library Sale in November, I picked up Kickback, with Robert B. Parker over the title. Only when I got it home did I realize that Parker's estate had hired Ace Atkins to carry on with Spenser.

My first reaction, was disappointment, until I started reading. Atkins totally captured Parker's characters but added the depth that had been in Parker's earlier work and then some. Although I guessed the reason behind the crime, because a similar thing had happened, there was just enough twist to say, good job.

I also learned somethings about my hometown -- like they had fixed the Longfellow Bridge, known as the Salt and Pepper Bridge.

As for Spenser for Hire, my husband bought me the complete series. Whenever I'm homesick for Boston, I watch an episode, even if he can find impossible parking places, and the Salt and Pepper bridge isn't as clean.

Carry on Ace.